Sounders hold off Rapids to claim first win

Commerce City, CO (Sports Network) - Obafemi Martins tallied his first goal
for Seattle Sounders FC as the club claimed its first victory of the season,
1-0, over the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday.

Martins netted the lone goal in the 27th minute after Rapids goalkeeper Clint
Irwin saved a shot from Shalrie Joseph, bringing an end to a five-match
winless streak for Seattle.

Colorado had chances after the break, but was twice denied by the woodwork,
snapping a two-match winning streak.

It took until the 27th minute for the match to really spring to life, and
Joseph's shot was teed up by Steve Zakuani, while Martins was on hand to knock
home the rebound from 10 yards.

The Nigerian nearly turned provider a few minutes later when he played Lamar
Neagle in on goal, only for the shot to come back off the crossbar.

Colorado was much better after the break and Dillon Powers rolled a shot just
wide from the edge of the penalty area before Brian Mullan's right-wing cross
was nodded off the crossbar by Atiba Harris on the hour mark.

Irwin kept the Rapids within a goal when he parried a powerful shot from
Neagle in the 72nd, but the closest the home side came to an equalizer was an
85th-minute volley from Kamani Hill which struck the post.